Honourable Speaker,
Honourable Members of the House of Peoples
Representatives,

It is to be recalled that the honourable House thoroughly considered the threat posed to our country by the leadership of the Islamic Courts Union in Somalia and passed a rightful and historic resolution asking the Government, on the one hand to take the necessary legal measures to protect the country from any attack and on the other to exhaust all avenues of resolving the problem through peaceful means .  I hereby present the following report on the measures taken by the Government during the last few weeks to implement this resolution of the House.

After the passage of the resolution by the House, in accordance with the plan to exhaust all avenues for a peaceful resolution of the problem, negotiations to resolve the problem peacefully were held with the extremists initially in Djibouti and later in Dubai, despite the escalation of attacks by the extremists entrenched in Mogadishu. However, the negotiation failed due to the conviction on the part of the extremist leadership that they had the capacity to forcefully execute their objective and their determination to fulfill this objective during the week of ID Al Adaha when Muslims all around the world would be celebrating.  Instead, on the publicly declared day, the extremist leadership intensified the war by completing its preparation to launch an all out war against the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia and the Puntland Administration.  Similarly, it reached a stage where it could assemble around our border Ethiopian anti-peace forces, in its relentless effort to facilitate infiltration of these forces into Ethiopia, in addition to the forces of destruction that it infiltrated into Ethiopia since last winter.  Finally, this concerted campaign was initiated in two-front campaign against the Transitional Government.

Since these acts have objectively demonstrated that the extremist leadership has no desire whatsoever to resolve the problems peacefully, and after exhausting all peaceful avenues, the Government, in accordance with the resolution of the House, prepared a plan for counter offensive to protect the country from attack and has implemented the plan accordingly in coordination with the Transitional Federal Government and other peace loving forces in Somalia.  When the Government planned and executed this counter offensive, it only identified as enemies the extremist leadership of the Islamic Courts Union, extremist terrorists assembled from different countries and soldiers of the Eritrean Government and their messengers who beyond working hand in hand with these groups also rallied as coordinators. 

Therefore, the campaign was conducted in a manner that made possible to highly lessen the harm that could have been inflicted on the civilian population, to disperse the majority of the clan militia assembled around the Islamic Courts Union leadership and to pursue and destroy the main enemies.

Accordingly, since the combat in all fronts were conducted outside the cities and densely populated areas and due to other precautionary measures the civilian population did not suffer significant harm.  The fact that no significant harm resulted on life and property of the civilian population in the conduct of our campaign is a matter that should be given special consideration in our era where civilians are the main victims of wars.  In all their joint activities, our defense forces, the Transitional Federal Government Forces and other peace loving forces have been warmly received by the people.  In all places, it was possible to talk to and encourage and convince elders and clan leaders to stabilize their areas, to disarm dispersed clan militias and return them back to peaceful life.  Even though, the main enemies were able to mobilize during the first and second day of the fighting the clan militia for use at the forefront, conditions were created for the dispersement of these same militia, as soon as it became clear that the extremists were in the process of being defeated.  Our defense force and its allies, beyond encouraging these militia to disperse and return to its respective clans, have been successful in making the clan elders disarm and get them to surrender their weapons to the Transitional Federal Government and return the militia to peaceful life.

Since it was possible to isolate the main enemy force from the clan militia and the people of Somalia in general with in a short time space, the possibility to pursue, attack and control it was created.  With in a few days this isolated and severely degraded force was forced to flee or retreat from one corner of Somalia to the other.  The people of Somalia not only warmly welcomed our defense force and its allies but they also organized for the purpose of attacking the fleeing enemy force in areas where defense force was not present.  In this respect, as examples, the actions in central Somalia, of the people of Adado, in south Somalia of those in the rural areas and in smaller towns south of Jowhar town should be seen as exemplary and make these people proud.

At the time when the severely degraded and depleted collection of extremists and other forces of destruction were trying to assemble in Mogadishu from all directions, our defense force and its allies pursued and continued to attack them.  In this process, the people of Mogadishu did an admirable work in defending themselves from the forces of destruction.  Even before the extremists left Mogadishu and in fact while their defeated forces from various areas were assembled in Mogadishu the people had started, in defying the Taliban laws proclaimed by the extremists, thus starting watching television and to chew chat in public.  Moreover, elders of Mogadishu city and clan leaders met and agreed to make arrangements to rid their city off extremists and receive the Transitional Federal Government.  In order to implement this, the people of Mogadishu established a 15 member committee and in north Mogadishu the people proceeded to decorate their areas with photographs of the President and the Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government.  When the forces of destruction fleeing to Mogadishu realized that they cannot hide from the defense force chasing them and its allies and that the people will organize and revolt against them, they publicly dismantled the Islamic Courts Union and fled Mogadishu without firing a single bullet.

When our defense force and its allies reached the outskirts of the city, numerous inhabitants of the city approached our army and pleaded with them to enter the city and stabilize it.  Similarly the committee of city elders exchanged views on the issue with the authorities of the Transitional Federal Government and our army officers.  The elders while announcing that they would take the responsibility of stabilizing the city, requested our forces to enter the city and settle in selected localities with the view to carrying out the stabilization effort.  The elders presented this request not only to the authorities of the Transitional Federal Government but also announced the idea publicly using the city's media outlets.  After holding consultations and negotiations in this regard for a day and half, our army and its allies at the request of the people and without firing a single bullet entered Mogadishu and settled at the place designated for them by the elders.  The majority of the city dwellers following the advice and opinions of the elders received our army with joy while very few youngsters expressed their opposition through peaceful means.  Since then, the city has been in a stable situation and our army is receiving great support and appreciation from the people.

After Mogadishu liberated itself from the terrorists in this way and our army entered the liberated Mogadishu peacefully and started its stabilization work it continued its activity to chase and attack the forces of destruction which fled from Mogadishu and other localities.  However, since the time was the eve of the Id Al Adha holiday the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia in consultation with us declared publicly a 24 hours unilateral session of hostility so that the people of Somalia could celebrate the holiday joyfully.  The President of the Transitional Federal Government together with the representatives of Mogadishu residents celebrated the Id Al Adha holiday at the great and historical Somalia Mosque in Afgoye town near the capital Mogadishu.  Seizing this opportune moment, the Transitional Government consulted extensively with the elders and agreed on how Somalis could overcome their own problems through discussions as well as consultations. 

Although the extremists used the limited time provided for the celebration of the Id Al Adha holiday to reorganize themselves, this did not spare them from consecutive defeat.  Instead, our defense forces and their allies, continuing their offensive campaign a day after the holiday, attacked and disbursed the destructive forces assembled at Jilib town.  After this force was defeated and thus the destructive forces came to realize the fact that the people of Kismayo will also liberate themselves just like that of the people of Mogadishu, they fled and deserted the city.  The people surrounding the city of Kismayo made commendable effort to protect it from looters.  Our army was able to reach the city and provide timely support.  The counter-offensive measure which we launched against the destructive forces in this manner is being concluded victoriously.

Honourable Speaker,
Honourable Members of the House of Peoples
Representatives,

Beyond the above stated military and political activities, our Government has made extensive effort to explain the development and the challenges we faced in Somalia to the international community.  Since the time of the conflict coincided with Western Christmas and New Year holidays as well as the Muslim Id Al Adha holiday, these had their own impact on the efforts of our diplomatic activities.  However, even before the conflict and during the process a successful job was done.  In this regard special emphasis was given to the Arab world for seeking support and clarify the position of Ethiopia.  Two separate delegations were dispatched to the Gulf States.  A wide variety of activities were also carried out by all our embassies.

The African Union took a clear and principled position on the issue.  It unequivocally and publicly declared its position that Ethiopia has the right to take legal measures to defend herself from the extremist leadership of the Islamic Courts Union.  Similarly, based on this correct position, it requested that the Ethiopian army leave Somalia promptly.  In view of this, the position taken by the African Union is in line with the position of the Ethiopian Government.

Although the position expressed by one member of the Security Council of the United Nations during its deliberations on the issue could have undermined the self-defense measure of Ethiopia, the motion based on this position was defeated since the other 14 members of the Council opposed it.  Therefore, the United Nations Security Council did not put into question the measures we took in self-defense.  Similarly various Governments in different parts of the world have supported our right to self-defense and have refrained from putting out any kinds of declarations which might have put into question our inherent right to self defense.

It can be said that the only party that took a different position on the issue is the creator of the problem, which is the Government of Eritrea.  Although they did not come out publicly in support of the position of the Eritrean Government, we can assume that there are parties which encouraged them discreetly.  In general, one can say that the international community, the African Union and major countries accepted our right to self-defense and the measures we took.

Honorable Speaker
Honourable Members of the House of Peoples
Representatives,

We had diverse  goals focusing on defending ourselves from attacks when we were forced to enter into the war. We have now routed and broken the backbone of the force bracing to destabilize our country and the whole of the Horn of Africa, sticking to our back like a thorn difficult to remove. We have removed the thorn before it caused an irreversible damage. Having taken proportionate measure to the attacks mounted on us, we have successfully managed to achieve the goal of defending ourselves.

Though our major aim was protecting ourselves from attacks, alongside and within the framework of the operations undertaken to achieve these goals, we had also envisaged to support efforts deployed by the people of Somalia to disengage itself from the Taliban like rule of extremists and realize sustainable peace. The people of Somalia have requested and implored us in all localities we have been to, to support them in bolstering their efforts, expressing strong desire for peace and their fear of sliding back to the chaos caused by the warlords. Routing the force of the extremists which imposed itself on the people of Somalia within a short span of time was a decisive contribution we made and we could have made to make a reality the wish and hopes of the people for peace and stability. We have created the best of opportunities for peace in Somalia. Furthermore, without compromising our aim to withdraw following the completion of measures taken in self defense, we are making major contributions in stabilizing Mogadishu and other localities. Thus, it could be said that we have satisfactorily accomplished our drive to support peace efforts of the Somali people and the Somali forces of peace.

Unambiguously aware of the responsibility and duty to protect our country from any attack, that is solely ours and ours alone, we neither expected nor requested any foreign government to stand on our side in our defensive operations. We, however, have made unstinted efforts to persuade the international community to accept our right to self-defense and support to the extent possible the measure we have taken to protect ourselves. In this regard too, it could be said, we have accomplished in great measure the goals we have set to achieve in our diplomatic endeavors.

We were successful in achieving our goals because our defense forces with the backing of the people have fought the battle with great valor displaying outstanding military capability on top of the welcome it received from the people of Somalia and our allies, in a spirit of brotherhood with tremendous political prudence and popular sentiment. Thus, on behalf of the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and on my own behalf, I would like to express my highest regard and appreciation to members of our defense forces who took part in the campaign and paid sacrifice in the line of duty. I believe, it is appropriate for the honorable House to take similar stance and declare the same. We have achieved all our goals because the Transitional Government of Somalia and the young and brave TFG army as well as all Somalis and peace-loving forces of Somalia have fought on our side determined to free themselves from the Taliban-like force, welcoming us in a spirit of brotherhood. Therefore, on behalf of the FDRE and on my own behalf, I would like to express my appreciation and gratitude to the TFG, the young and brave TFG army, the peace loving forces of Somalia and the people of Somalia. I believe, it is appropriate for the honorable House to take a similar stand and declare the same.

It is great honor to the Ethiopian government and people that the international community has stood on our side recognizing our right to self defense with a universal appreciation of our challenge. In this regard, particularly the position AU and all our African brothers have taken, have made us, as it always does, feel highly honored in being African. On behalf of the Ethiopian government and people, I would like to extend to them my brotherly gratitude and appreciation. Similarly, on behalf of the FDRE and on my own behalf, I would like to thank our friends in other parts of the world for the friendly gesture they have shown us during these trying moments.

I request the honorable House to do the same.

Honorable Speaker
Honourable Members of the House of Peoples
Representatives,

The measures we have taken have not only enabled us to attain all our planned objectives in a satisfactory manner but have also unequivocally disproved the misguided perceptions and forecasts that have been propagated by various quarters and pundits over the last months as the crisis was heightening.
    
In this regard, the widespread belief especially by the Eritrean Government and its supporters, that the rapid strengthening of the Islamic Court Union extremist leadership would put Ethiopia in an inextricable and untenable situation, has been completely shattered. These forces were disseminating under the guise of expert analysis their hopes that if Ethiopia did not take any action to destroy the extremist leadership, the extremist forces would take control of the whole of Somalia and that they would remain an indelible thorn on the back of Ethiopia creating mayhem in the country, and if Ethiopia took actions against the extremist leadership it would definitively get embroiled in a quagmire. The measures taken have shown that Ethiopia acting together with the brotherly people of Somalia has the capacity and the preparation to sustainably remove the thorn without being bogged down in a quagmire. It has also sent an unequivocal message that it would take similar remedial actions in the future if similar problems occur.
     
A so-called renowned pundit on Somalia had presented an analysis that Ethiopia and Somalia are blood enemies at all levels, that they have repeatedly fought each other and that if Ethiopia sends its troops into Somalia, the entire Somali people would declare it as the invader and would violently oppose it. These pundits have committed two fundamental errors.

The first is to erroneously present the previous wars fought between the Ethiopian and Somali Governments as if they took place between the peoples of Ethiopia and Somalia. Secondly, they have not realized that contrary to the previous Ethiopian regimes that wanted to impose their rule on the Somali people of Ethiopia, currently the Somali people of Ethiopia like all other peoples of the country have had their right to self-determination recognized and that they have no grievances in this regard. They have not understood that Ethiopian Somalis were ready to fight at the forefront along side the other peoples of Ethiopia against the extremists in Somalia who sought to impose their will on them.  Therefore, they are not at all able to comprehend the situation where our defense forces entered the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu, at the request and permission of its residents without firing a single shot. The measures taken have irrefutably demonstrated that there is no animosity between the peoples of Ethiopia and Somalia. It has concretely established that the peoples of Ethiopia and Somalia are not only neighbours but that they are brotherly peoples with language, cultural and historical bonds.   
 
Too many observers and pundits had concluded that as the Islamic Court Union had in a very short lapse of time taken control of a large portion of the territory of Somalia it could not be stopped by anyone and that it had the support of the Somali people. No observer or pundit grasped that even though the Somali people were fed up of the lack of peace for more than a decade, that they were tired of the exactions being perpetrated by the warring factions, and that it is prepared to give a chance to any force that would free it from this danger, the fact that the control of the Union fell in the hands of a small number of extremists, which started to put in place a Taliban style administration, as well as the fact that it was not representative of the various clans and segments of Somali population like the Transitional Government, the Union was completely isolated from the people of Somalia.

Therefore, they could not believe their eyes when including within the sub-clan of the Union leadership, the Union faced tremendous opposition and that it was bickering at an even faster pace than the time it took to take control of the large portion of Somali territory. The Somali people have concretely displayed in an astounding manner their strong desire for peace and their refusal to support Taliban style extremists.
Analysts on the Horn of Africa have attempted to portray the situation as an unending religious war between Christian Ethiopia and Muslim Somalia. In doing so and by not presenting the truth, they have opted to disseminate the analysis of the extremists in Somalia. However, in actual fact the alignment of forces was completely different. On the one side there are the defense forces of Ethiopia, a country of Christians and Muslims and the Transitional Government representing the fundamentally Muslim people of Somalia and its forces as well as the entire peace loving Somali people. Even though the extremist forces posed a serious threat, they preferred to celebrate Eid Al Adha peacefully and colorfully.  On the other side, there were a small number of Somali Talibans, terrorists and mujaheedins that have converged from various countries, the destructive forces of the Eritrean Government which administers a country composed both of Muslims and Christians.  These forces not only purposefully carried out the war during the sacred Eid Al Adha but also tried to utilize to their advantage the decision taken not to wage a war during this sacred period. The war is not between Christians and Muslims. The war is between on the one side the Ethiopian and Somalia Governments at the forefront of peace and religious tolerance, and on the other under the supervision of the Eritrean Government the forces of destruction and mayhem. The forces of peace and religious tolerance have triumphed.

The war broke the back of the forces seeking to wage religious war. It was a war opposing the forces of development and destruction, of peace and havoc, religious tolerance and extremism.

There was a fear and prediction by many analysts that the war waged on the one side between the Transitional Government supported by Ethiopia and on the other the extremists supported by the Eritrean Government would draw the entire Horn of Africa into a regional war and that Ethiopia and Eritrea would enter into direct military confrontation. The successful military campaign we have undertaken has exposed the falsehood of this analysis.

It is evident that the Eritrean Government is prepared to fight Ethiopia until the last drop of blood of the people of Somalia. The Eritrean Government elaborated this strategy in order to advance its objective through the blood of the Somalis. It believed that the strengthening of the extremists in Somalia would put Ethiopia in an inextricable situation. But more importantly it did so because it does not have the capacity and willingness to wage direct military confrontation. Even though it is clear that the Eritrean Government would have waged war if Ethiopia was bogged down in a quagmire in Somalia, many did not grasp that if Ethiopia did not get bogged down in Somalia, the Eritrean Government would not have the capacity and preparation to take any direct action. The people of Somalia have shown that they are not willing to fight to the last drop of blood to advance the objective of the Eritrean Government. To the contrary, the people of Somalia want to cooperate with the peaceful forces of Ethiopia in order to establish peace in Somalia. The projected quagmire for Ethiopian defence forces did not take place. When the interventionist Eritrean forces had to flee from one end of Somalia to the other, the Eritrean Government did not directly dare lift a finger.

Hence, the feared regional war disappeared into the thin air just like all the other erroneous analysis.

Many have argued that fighting the extremists in Somalia and their supporters would radicalise even further the extremists and have said that  the preferred option would have been to negotiate and subdue them. Even in the situation where all peaceful avenues had been exhausted and the extremists had made it abundantly and repeatedly clear that they had no desire for peace, some quarters have advanced this argument in a manner where it is difficult to distinguish this longing for peace from a defeatist approach. They did not properly understand and accept the Government’s position that there is a need to exhaust all peace avenues and that if the latter do not yield fruitful results fighting the extremists can only bring about their weakening and not their strengthening.

The successful operation we have carried out has shown that if it is possible to strike at the extremists without affecting the Somali people, and moreover if it is possible to fight against the extremists in collaboration with the forces of peace and the people of Somalia, the  backbone of the extremists can be broken in a short period of time. The longing for peace is always a correct and respected idea. However by the same token kneeling, down to extremists and intolerance under this guise and moreover bowing down to the extremist desire of these forces is not necessary and appropriate.

Honourable Speaker

Honourable Members of the House of Peoples
Representatives,

Eventhough we have achieved our main objectives that we have set , it does not mean that we have no more tasks to do. The people of Somalia have the best opportunity for peace, but dependable peace has not yet been achieved. The backbone of the destructive forces has been broken and their remnants have been disbanded. However, this does not mean that they will not try to revive and engage in suicidal terrorist activities. Hence, the people and government of Somalia as well as all the forces of peace in the region will have to expect more challenges and hard work.

As far as Ethiopia is concerned, we have achieved our main objective and, our next focus will be the return of our forces and strengthening our on-going struggle against poverty. This means neither that we are going to stop moping up remnants of the extremist forces here and there, nor abandoning the stabilization effort being undertaken by the people and Government of Somalia and return home.

Upon completion of this final phase of our mission as soon as possible, we will withdraw our forces with in a few weeks as it is our irrevocable position. Apart from creating a conducive condition for peace, we cannot and should not transform ourselves into a peace keeping force. We believe that the international community should understand our position, and urgently deploy a peace keeping force in accordance with the decisions of the African Union and the United Nations Security Council, and should make every effort to avoid a vacuum when our forces withdraw. Furthermore, the International Community should urgently provide humanitarian assistance commensurate with the need of the people of Somalia.

The Transitional Federal Government and the people of Somalia have a decisive role in ensuring sustainable peace in Somalia. No other force can replace their role in ensuring peace. Therefore, the Government of Ethiopia supports the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia in its program to stop the resurgence of warlordism, conduct an inclusive dialogue and reconciliation amongst the Somali people on the basis of the Transitional Federal Charter, accommodate those sectors of society that did not have sufficient representation in the Government and generally support the government's efforts and programs to enable the Somalis to handle their own affairs without any external interference. It is only when the Somalis are able to discuss and negotiate without any external interference that durable peace can be ensured in Somalia, and therefore, we call upon the international community to support their initiative.

On our part, we will always be on alert and keep a close watch on the forces of destruction, whose backbone has been broken, so that they shall not be able to launch terrorist activities from Somalia or any where else, and will not allow them to distract us from our struggle for development. While being vigilant against any danger posed by the forces of destruction being coordinated by the Government of Eritrea, we will continue our search for peace through dialogue and peaceful means and focus our collective energy on our main objective of achieving development.

    I thank you

2 January 2007